Toshiba has recently revealed a prototype HD-DVD disc that increases the storage capacity to 45GB and brings it much closer to the rival format, Blu-ray, which offers 50GB. Toshiba accomplished this increase in capacity by adding an extra layer to the disc for a total of three, which bumped the capacity from 30GB to 45GB.

Toshiba also announced a prototype hybrid disc which combines dual-layer HD-DVD disks with a normal dual-layer DVD in order to create a double-sided disc which can be used in either the new HD-DVD players or older, traditional DVD players. More details of the two discs will be announced on Wednesday at the Media-Tech Expo 2005 exhibition in Las Vegas.

The HD-DVD group said in January that it plans to have players and content available in U.S. stores in the last quarter of this year, and the first machine to support prerecorded Blu-ray Disc is expected to be announced next week, when Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. shows off a prototype of its next-generation PlayStation 3. The console and other Blu-ray Disc players aren't expected to be commercially available until 2006. [via geekcoffee]